Train-carried circuit system



TRAIN CARRIED CIRCUIT SYSTEM Original Filed Sept. 20, 1917 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 13, 1931. w, w, MACFARLANE 1,788,882

TRAIN CARRIED CIRCUIT SYSTEM Original Filed Sept. 20, 1917 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I Wm , ASSIGNMENTS, TO-THEUNIKION SWITCH sgs grlqengomrenxog,

Patented Jan. 13, 1931 WILLIAM w. MACFARLANE, 0F ELKINSJE'A-IRK; PENNSYLVANIA, nssIGNoR, BY MEsnE mssveta L rnhm ur l id a rnlirir oin nihn" diiteirr'r SYSTEM 1 Appliceiiion filed. Seji'fteniher 2l$ji9i7i$eria1 No. 389,187. R en-eWed J'une 15, 1920.

The present mates; en es of 'vvidely diverse c'haract'erto control a train nnde ,ent1rely diiferenttraifio co "ditionsl v vgone featnreejf' tliejinv'eiitionresideein the employment of two speed; control means, one of which completes a clrcuit'through an'elec ro'responsive device to hold the 'train control means inoperative Whilethetrain is running below a certain speed; and another one 0fi which completes a cironi tfthrough said eleo 'troresp onsive means While: theltrainf is; run-- hing helovv a certain lesser-v speed "together with means for rupthring theconneetion through the firstfrnentioned speed [control v 1' means under certaintrafiic conditione,j Thns,

; any

speed control means will 'iriaintain the infor danger conditions. IVhen;fthereforgfjthe cireiiit maintained through "the, 'fir'st speed- .control means i's'r'uptured'by the antomatic devieesacting under certain traffioeondition's; it is evident that the s peed-ofthe train 7 Will 'be out doWn'to a pre determinedniini-Q,

In addition to theforegoing means; are also provided forestablishing a circuit in-p dependent of the speed 'controllmeans thro'ngh said electroresponsive meansjwhen the train V 7 y h rial, having a comparatively large cross secis in a safe zone. Furthermore, in addition to all the foregoing, there may be 'an addillie train controllingineansmay;ofcohrse;

assume any desired formbut arejhe-re conveniently; illi strated a strain j. ;pipe and ,generallyto a train carried system of traincontrol of thecharacter disclosed in hpPlitatihiisfSi: No; 2, afMmri 1 1mm Se N 953 filed May 4,1916, this arp liceitionbein'g a eontinuationg in part {of the fsubjeot niatterfirstinentioned'speed control means may 1naintain the integrity, of the 'tifcnit l while the train is running atanifiterm di t speed suitable for caution conditions and-the other the electroresponsive devices may. likewise nieansmay be combined in one stnucture' conf sisting, preferably, of a plurality of -contacts immersed ina'mercur container:'g1;

5: Other features will ap'pea'r'as the specifica- 'tion pro'ceedsx 1 Fat; V r

- In thed ravvingi l' Figure I isfa diagrammatic View of an em-i bodiment of the invention showinga train controlling system of cabrirc uits including speed controlled 7 and timing mechanism automatically responsive [to] conditions L01 sa'fety and danger. if r i -'-Figure 2 is a diagrammatic view of an embo'dime'nt of the invention in which the train be of any suitable construction hilt i'as here z sl own take .the l'forin' of two magnets 1 contro lling'tw o va'lves intli 'e trainlin'e and which fm'a-y "act independently to bleed theitrain -line. Similary the speed control meansimay he of any-desired character and two of said controlling apparatus" is responsive to .conditions'of'safety, cautioii anddanger. I v

1 InFigure l of the drawing thereis ill'ustrateda'preferred embodinientbf'thevinvenvice 1 isjarranged to have continuouselec- 'tri'caloonin unic'ation' with the respective track rails 2 Tend :3 through; contact :;shoes 4 and 5 to which the terminals of the translatductorS G-an'cl 7L The "partial eircuit'thus loivresistance to the passageofcurrent therethroiigh, K so 1 that the l-proportionate volume of current diverted from the paths formed by the wheels and axles is sufficient .to operate tion infW'hicha train-carried translating deing device are connected by means a of? con termed; through W-hich Icurrent; may; flow fr'om' ra l to rail, is 'con-strnctedto offer a very offcoprierg at other liighly conductive vmate-' The armature 8 or relay l' i's adapted to be held in' engagement with contact; plate (9 in the normally" energizedcondition of the relay.

10 isprovidedagainst which the ar nais engaged by armature 8 to close the main V control circuit which includes battery 11, conductor 12, conductor 13, armature 8, contact plate 9, conductor 14, relay 15, and conductor 16, back to battery. Relay 15 is thus energized to hold members 17 and 18 of its double armature against front contacts 19and 20 thereby closing the circuits through the green, or safety, lamp 21 and also through the brake controlling magnet 22.

The circuit through safety lamp 21' includes battery 11, conductor 12, conductor 13, conductor23, armature '17 of-relay 15, front contact '19, conductor 24, safety lamp 21, conductor 25, and conductor 16 back to battery. Current to energize the brake magnet 22 flows over a shunt circuit from conductor 23, to armature 18. front contact 20, conductor 26, conductor 27, magnet 22, conductor 28, and conductor 16. 1

Upon deenergization of control relay 1 due to danger conditions, armature 8 will break contact with contact plate 9 whereupon relay 15 will drop its double armature to break the circuits through safety lamp 21 at the front contact 19 and through the brake magnet at the front contact 20. Deenergization of magnet'22 will set the brake operating mechanism into action. Simultaneously with this, the red, or danger, lamp 29 will be lighted and bell 3O actuated by means of current supplied from battery 11, conductor 12, conductor 13, conductor 23, armature 18, back contact 31, conductor 32, conductor 33, lamp 29, conductor 34 to commonreturn conductor 16, and also from conductor 33, to hell 30, conductor 34*, and conductor 34 to common return conductor 16 back to battery. Thus, upon the entrance of a train into a danger zone, danger signals will be actuated in the cab and a brake actuating mechanism will be set into operation.

Brake magnet 22, to which reference has been made, is adapted to control a valve operating mechanism through the connection of the plunger core 35 with lever 36 pivoted to a stationary support at 37. Valve stem -38, carrying valves 39 and 40, is adapted to be held in an elevated position by lever 36 when magnet 22 is energized. Valve 39 cooperates with a va ve seat 41 to control the flow of air from the train pipe 42 through pipe 43 to cylinder 44. A piston 45 in cylinder 44 is connected through piston rod 46 with the stem 47 of brake valve 48 adaptedto control an exhaust port in the train pipe 42.

In order to retard, to some extent, the action of the automatic brake actuating mechanism to give the engineer time to slow down his train through the manual control, as well as to allow the train to pass over dead section at a cross-over, or the like, regulating chamber 49 is provided.

This regulating chamber consists of a cylinder 50 in which is mounted a piston 51. The cylinder 50 is in constant communication with valve chamber 52 and cylinder 44 through passage 53.

The regulating, or timing, cylinder 50 is preferably of such size that an appreciable interval" of time will be required to supply sufficient air thereto through the comparatively small pipe 48 to raise the pressure in chamber 49 and cylinder 44 to a point necessary for operation of piston 45.

In order to prevent the complete exhaustion of pressure from the train pipe following an action of the automatic brake controlling mechanism, a spring 55 is mounted on valve stem 46 and bears against a collar 57 thereon to move the piston to inoperative position when the pressure in the brake pipe and chamber 49 is lowered to a certain predetermined minimum. The degree of pressure exerted by spring 55 may be varied by adjusting the position of the slidable abutment member 58.

Provision is made by means of the speed controlled device 59 for allowing a movement of the train under greatly reduced speed when danger condltions exist so that, for example,

a train might creep forward into a block 00-.

cupied by a disabled train for the purpose of giving assistance. The speed controlled device is of the type in which a frangible bulb 60 containing mercury 61 is caused to rotatethrough mechanical connection with a moving part, such as an axle of the train. Contacts 62, bridged by the mercury under a very low speed, such as two or four miles an hour, are adapted to be electrically disconnected by the action on the mercury of centrifugal force upon an increase of speed above the figure named. Under the minimum speed referred to, a circuit is established through the brake control magnet 22 as follows: battery 11, conductor 12, conductor 13,

conductor 63, contacts 62 and mercury 61, conductor 27, brake magnet 22, conductor 28, and common return conductor 16 back to battery I Current flowing over the circuit just traced will hold magnet 22 energized, or will reenergize it, if the speed of the train has been lowered to a permissible rate by operation of the automatic brake actuating mechanism. The energized magnet 22 will lift valve 39 to its seat and lift valve 40 from its seat in exhaust port 64 to vent the regulating chamber 49 and cylinder 44 and permit spring 55 to withdraw piston 45 from valve operating position.

A supplemental speed controlled device is shown at 65 similar in construction to the speed controlled device 59, already described. In the speed controlled device 65, however, the'contacts are arranged to be disengaged by the mercury only when the vehicle exceeds itkiisxpermitted to travel; a'Undcr;such n- 'ditions, magnet 66 in :Conductor 67;;wil1fbe cleenergized to open the supplemental bra-lre valve 68 and vent the train pipe toapply the brakes. This v, operation will 8 take: ,place regardless of traffieconditions, so that-ithe vehicle cannot, exceed the maX-imuin allowable, speed'even under safety, conditions. In this connection 11?:Wlll'b6; noted: that; the valve $18 is of such construction as to permit, at such time, air to;fiow;past itt0: valve-Q8,v w .1 In Figure Q-of-thefdrawing there isillus- 1 tratedjan embodiment of the inyention; in

which provisionis made for operating; atrain under caution conditions aswell as under-the safety conditions described in connection withFigurei and m Whi h a low resistan relay, braking mechanism? and speed con- ,1. trolled devices areagain madeuse; oft;

' 1ltgwill,bexseenthatgin thisembodiment of the: invention coil; 69, core/7Q andfarmatures 71; and 72'together form a polariaedrelay that is;r.esponsi.veto changes in-;the character of the currentflowingin thetrackralls and to; thepresence orrabsence of current in the track :rails as: well. The changes in; the

character of thetrack circuit are preferably 1 .;produced.bychangingthepolarity of a ditures 71 and 72 move out their respectlve contacts;

rect current but 5 such; changes may be produced .in: various; otherE ways, such as; "by changing'thejphase or frequency of an alternating current; @VVhen current flows throughcoil 69in a certain direction, say, from track railfl to .,track railvv73, the soit-iron;corej 70 is :given such a polarity that armature 72 :isattracted and moved into; engagement ;withcon tact urrent is flowing through coil- 6 9 ,both armaof engagementwith WVe thus have thr ee conditions of polarrized relay that are-made'to correspondto the three trafllc conditionsyii e.,;safet ,Ycaution, and-danger; 1 'Undersafety traffic (conditions, armature 72 is caused tomake-contact with contact member =75 while Etrmaturelhis moved away from contact 76.-;Underlcau tion :Eronditions, armature; 71 is attracted and.v moved into contact with contact member ;76 awhile armature-72 ismoved' out 'ot'engage "m nt with contact: member 7,5: Under danger, aconditions,-r-ahoth iarmatures will leave their respective contacts.

a his a wi l e e gize; lay 1 4n li t tures 84b nd8 r nto e eage ntw with contact'member'ZEa i om t aska i .71 a d; hen th i s th low re stance 19. 16 t ack rail 3-. s- .sumingthat,,tlli$ Will ,give the core member 1 :69 1 such-a. icpe rity th t were, 2 w ll 1 b attracted to move into engagement with con tact; 7 a circuit-will be establishedas; foll ws: Ba tery 7 ;ico u erl8e cef uctq Z9, armature; ,72, ,coutact 75, conductor ,80, coils v; of; r layi ll, (conductor 52,, an c mm r r t rntc ndu or- 83 ba k; to b ery.

fro t o a tsfifi and 87; respecti ely.

a The mov en at the Inmate engagement withv the upper contact 8,6 avill clo e a irc ta roug t er en, see p rem a t ryrfiecend cta fia we ductor 79, armature 8 4,; contact 8,6,conductor 89, 1amp 88, CQndll'Ct-QIQQO to common return" conductoc83-and back to battery, A

' At the same time, armat; ,re 1 willaclos eia circuit through bralre magnetfilto hold; the

ra v al chanism iill pc etiY s: B te yW, o densatecon uetoi m armature 85, contact 87, conductore92 conductor: ci ndi t rfi t; areke; ma net conductor 95, and commonreturn conductor 83 back to battery.

I Tin? .zeiUndergcaut-ion, conditions, letaus assume that currientwillfiow from track rail '13 to "track nail 74, instead oit'lfrom tra cklrail to :track rail 73 as was the; case underfs afety condit ns- Th lzefie iqfrLfih iStQ $0 gize the low resistance coil 69fas totgiyejo ha ere m mb r ,0 uch 'ipqla y that firmer tur; 7-1 wilL- Joe attracted-into engagement w thon c m mbenlfi Wh e: th e r armature Z2 will bemoved out'of engagement This will energize relay 96,

,same-time,;becoming deenergized by theopenjingjof the circuit therethrough at contact fii. Current tov energize relay 96 vwill flowas foll0ws: Batte1 y 77, conductor 78, conductor-97, ,conductor 98, armature v 71, contact 1Z6, con- .rli i r:-9 lay .,c0 du 0r 00,, mer mmjon return i conductor, ,83 back to. battery. Thi w' L n i er lay 9 an i t arm ur s 101-and; 102 into engagement with'the upper contacts 103, and 104, respectively... i

;The engagement of contact-103byiarrrl'ature 101 will close a circuit through caution 105 as follows 2-, Battery 7,7, conductor 78, conductor 79, armature 84;, back contact 106, conductor 107', armature 101, contact- 108,

.gconcl'uctor 108', yellow or cautionnlamp 105,

LQQIldLlClSOI'QO, and, common return conductor 83 backto batteryb ai- A circuitwillfal jo be qlosed through brake magnet 91 by wayof l the speed controlled device109- so that under caution conditions :ihe tr in m st e estr c ed o a cert n: P aidete minedspced o e o Pr PZ i ut v matic application of the brakes. This circuit. may be traced as follows: battery 77,

conductor 78, conductor 79, armature 84, back contact 106, conductor 107, armature 102, contact 104, conductor 110, contacts 111, mercury 112, conductor 113, conductor 94, brake magnet 91, conductor 95, and common return conductor 83 back to battery.

Thus, under caution conditions, relay 96 is energized resulting in the lighting of the caution lamp and the energization of brake magnet 91. Should, however, the speed of the train be such as to carry the mercury out of bridging engagement with contacts 111, the circuit through the brake magnet will be broken and the brakes applied. WVhen the speed has been reduced, by action of the brakes, to the permissible speed the circuit through contacts 111 will be restored and the circuit through the brake magnet automatically re-established to release the brakes.

Under danger conditions, let us assume that there is insufficient current available to cause the low resistance relay to attract either armature 71 or 72. The result is that circuits are broken at each of the contacts 75 and 76 so that both relays 81 and 96 are deenergized.

The dropping of the armatures of the relays will establish a circuit through the red, or danger, lamp 114 and bell 115 as follows: battery 77, conductor 78, conductor 79, armature 84, back contact 106, conductor 107,

armature 101, back contact 116, conductor 117, lamp 114 and bell 115, conductor 90,

and common return conductor 83 back to battery.

It is to be noted that with both relays 81 and 96 deenergized, there is no circuit closed through brake magnet 91 exceptby way of the speed controlled device 109 and contacts 118 so that the train can be moved only at a very low speed, such as two or four miles per hour. The speed controlled circuit includes battery 77, conductor 78, conductor 97,

' conductor 98, contacts 118 and mercury 112,

conductor 113, conductor 94, brake magnet 91, ductor 83 back to battery. So long as the mercury bridges contacts 118, this circuit will cause magnet 91 to hold the brake valve mechanism inoperative, but a very low speed will be sufticient to break the contact at contact points 118 and set the brakes, as has been stated.

A supplemental speed controlled device is shown at 119 in Figure 2. The contacts 120 in bulb 121 of this controller are arranged to be disengaged by the mercury when the vehicle exceeds the maximum speed at which it is permitted to travel. Under such conditions, magnet 122 in conductor 123 will be de energized to open supplemental brake valve 124 and vent the train pipe to set the brakes. This operation will take place regardless of traiiic conditions so that the vehicle cannot conductor 95, and common return con-- exceed the maximum speed permitted even under safety conditions.

Brake magnets 122 and 91 may be attached to timing means, as in the embodiment oi the invention shown in Figure 1, which would prevent a sudden application of the brakes while the vehicle is passing over a dead section at a switch or cross-over, or this result might be secured by adjustment of the size of the aperture through which the exhaust from the train pipe takes place.

I claim: 1. A train carried system including: train controlling means, electroresponsive means which, when energized, holds the train controlling means inoperative, speed control means for rupturing a circuit through the electroresponsive means when the train is running above a certain intermediate speed, speed control means for rupturing a circuit through said electroresponsive means when a train is running above a minimum speed, means for rupturing the connection through the first speed control means regardless of the speed of the train under certain trafiic conditions, means for completing a circuit through said electroresponsive means independently of the two speed control means under certain other traflic conditions, a third speed control means normally completing a circuit through the electroresponsive means but rupturing the same when the train is running above maximum speed independent of the two speed control means.

2. A train carried system including: train controlling means, two electromagnetic devices which, when energized, hold the train controlling means inoperative and the deenergization of either of which renders the train controlling means operative, a circuit normally completed through one of said devices, a speed control means in circuit with said device controlling the maximum speed at which the train can be run under certain traflic conditions, another circuit normally completed through the other of said devices, means acting under certain traffic conditions for including another speed control means in said second circuit, said second speed control means breaking the second circuit at a lower speed than the maximum.

3. A train carried system including: train controlling means,'two electromagnetic devices which, when energized, hold the train controlling means inoperative and the deenergization ofeither of which renders the train controlling means operative, a circuit normally completed through one of said devices, a speed control means in circuit with said device controlling the maximum speed at which the train can be run under certain traffic conditions, another circuit normally completed through the other of said devices, means acting under certain traiiie conditions for including another speed control means in said second circuit, said second speed control means breaking thesecond circuit at a lower speed than the maximum, and an addi tional speed control means completing a circuit through said second device to permit the train to run at a minimum speed.

4; A train carried system including: train controlling means, electroresponsive means which, when energized, holds the train controlling means inoperative,.a circuit normally completed through said electroresponsive means established through said second de- I vice permitting the train to proceed at a minimum speed under danger conditions.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 18th day of September 1917.

' WILLIAM W. MAGFARLANE,

' means under safety conditions, means acting 5 under caution conditions for rupturing said 7 circuit and establishing a'speed control circuit through the electroresponsive means,

said circuit to be automatically ruptured controllin means, two electromagnetic, de-

vices whic when energized, hold saidtrain controlling means inoperative and either one of which, when deenergized, renders the train controlling means operative, a circuit normally completed through one of said devices, a speed control means in circuit with said device controlling the maximum speed at which the traincan run under'ce'rtain conditions, another circuit normally completed through the other of said devices' under safety conditions, a second speed controlled means, operating'at a certain lower'speed than the maximum, andmeans acting under caution conditions to rupture said second circuit and establish a circuitto includesaid second'speed control means. 7 i

6. A train carried system including train controlling means, two electromagnetic devices which, when energized, hold said train controlling means inoperative and either one of which, when deenergized, renders the tram controlling means operative, a circuit normally completed through one of said de- 7 vices, a speed control means in circuit with said device controlling themaximum speed at which the train can run underecertain conditions, another circuit normally'completed through the other of said devices under safety conditions, a second speed controlled 1 means operating at a certain lower speed 1 than the maximum, means actingunder caution conditions to rupture said second circuit and establish a circuit toinclude said second speed control means, means for rupturing .said second circuit including the" second speed control means under I danger conditions, and a circuit including aspeed control V 

